ST. LOUIS — January 15 is Martin Luther King, Jr., Day in America. The civil rights icon was assassinated in 1968.
King visited St. Louis during the 1950’s and 60’s. KSDK 5 On Your Side has been covering the news in the St. Louis for more than 75 years, and 5 On Your Side’s predecessor, Eyewitness News, was there, when Dr. King was here.
KSDK cameras recorded King’s visit to Christ Church Cathedral, downtown, in March of 1964. He was interviewed by Eyewitness News reporter, Chris Condon. Condon anchored the 6 and 10 p.m. news and reported for KSDK from 1961 to 1984. He died at age 99, January 30, 2023.
Among other topics, Dr. King talked about the then on-going filibuster to block what would become the Civil Rights Act, and Cassius Clay, who would later change his name to Muhammad Ali.
During that interview, King said, “I think there are some issues so basic they must be left in the hands of federal judges to grapple with.”
At the podium during a speech, King said, “The Negro must never seek to rise from a position of disadvantage to one of advantage, thereby subverting justice. He must never seek to substitute one tyranny for another. A doctrine of Black supremacy is as dangerous as a doctrine of white supremacy. God is not interested merely in the freedom of Black men and brown men and yellow men, but God is interested in the freedom of the whole human race.”
Sunday, April 4, 1968, the day King was assassinated on a motel balcony in Memphis, the story was breaking news 284 miles away, in St. Louis.
Again, it was Condon who took to the streets of St. Louis to get reaction to King's death from area residents. On decades-old film converted to video, Condon can be seen and heard informing some St. Louis-area residents about the events of the day.
“Martin Luther King was shot dead, tonight, by a white man in Memphis,” said Condon. “What is your reaction that?”
An unidentified man of color wearing a suit, tie and hat said, “My reaction is it’s a very pitiful and senseless killing. It’s horrible. That’s all I can say is – if someday we can stop this.”
The man then became emotional and excused himself from the interview.
“That’s all I can say, sir,” he told Condon.
In another interview, a white man said, “I think we've lost a great leader in the civil rights movement.
Another white man, who identified himself as a foreign student said, “Martin Luther King was doing a good job for the Negro in America.”
Details surrounding St. Louis' reaction would be recounted by Newschannel 5 reporters decades later.
In a retrospective piece on Newschannel 5, the voice of former anchor/reporter Deanne Lane can be heard saying, “Stores and businesses all around town closed for the day. And religious leaders called their followers into special memorial services.”
Images of the late Joseph Cardinal Ritter could be seen conducting Catholic Mass.
Lane’s narration continued.
“Unlike other cities where rioting and violence erupted, St. Louis and its suburbs remained calm,” said Lane.
Former St. Louis Mayor A.J. Cervantes appeared on screen.
“I think the entire community should be complimented for the great bi-racial attitude,” said Cervantes.
A Black man told Condon, “St. Louis is one of the largest cities that has not had burning and tearing down.”
Under images of people lined up next to a bus, Lane is heard saying, “Hundreds of St. Louisans lined up and boarded buses to attend Dr. King's funeral.
An unidentified woman told reporters, “I'm going in memory of a man whom I have always admired.”
Another man spoke of how King would be remembered.
“As the great presidents of this country have been remembered,” he said, “in being for peace.”
56 years later, the loss of King, the civil rights crusader, still merits news coverage, worldwide.
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